'If we're not going to help 'ourselves;, this is going to 'happen; on and on.'

Tears rolled down the cheeks of more than one person at Nunavut Tunngavik's recent annual general meeting, as delegates grappled with issues of widespread child neglect, wife beating, and alcohol and drug abuse in Nunavut.

The discussion stood in stark contrast to most of the meeting, held two weeks ago in Rankin Inlet, which was usually punctuated by jokes and flippant comments by the chair, Paul Kaludjak.

It started when Joe Attagutaluk of Igloolik lamented that NTI isn't doing enough to help troubled kids, and not enough traditional knowledge is being passed to the next generation.

"I don't want to just wait any more," he said. "I learned from a big mistake myself. I want to help."

Attagutaluk beat his wife, Elise, to death after a drinking bout in 1985 and served five years for manslaughter.

Another member sadly admitted that he abandoned his children and never talked about it.

Later, Martha Naqitarvik of Arctic Bay tearfully described how one of her sons drinks, does drugs and beats his wife.

Another of her sons shot and killed himself. She said he was addicted to drugs.

She asked everyone to imagine the pain felt by the parents of the man accused of murdering a policeman in Kimmirut.

"All of us won't be able to stand up if our child killed somebody," she said.

Soon others were crying.

Much talk was given to drug and alcohol abuse by children. Some feared what new drugs, such as crystal meth, will do to today's kids.

But others said the real problem is with parents.

"The young people, they're not really at fault," said Joanasie Karpik of Pangnirtung. "As mothers and fathers, we're at fault."

"If we don't guide our children, they become lost."

Earlier, Donald Havioyak of Kugluktuk said some parents are too busy drinking to take their kids out on the land. "Kids are tired of waiting for parents to do something," he said.

As well, few resources exist to teach good parenting.

"What's missing is the Inuit way to raise children," said James Arreak of Iqaluit. "It's not written anywhere. That's what I'm really missing."

The discussion did not lead to resolutions being passed by NTI, but various solutions were suggested.

Some called for the Nunavut Social Development Council, which was disbanded about seven years ago and its role absorbed by NTI, to be reinstated.

Others, such as Joe Kaludjak of Rankin Inlet, said Inuit need to return to traditional values.

Kaludjak said people today "seem to be dependent on social workers and police," rather than the judgment of elders. He complained too many women allow relationships to end today, while earlier, husbands had more authority, and "we were always taught how to be couples."

Ashevak Ezekiel of Cape Dorset said Nunavut needs more qualified Inuit counsellors.

"If we're not going to help ourselves, this is going to happen on and on," he said.

Thomasie Alikatuktuk of Iqaluit said people struggling with drinking and drug problems need to talk, even with a friend or "big brother."

"The problems within us will only get out if we share them with other people we trust," he said.

"Sharing your knowledge is free. No one has to pay for it."